"But its FRIDAY....I DONT WANNA WORK TODAY!!" said the exasperated little gray to the determined college girl. And so the story began... (For those of you that haven't caught on, this is going to be today's ride from the eyes of Pogo himself.
It was a great day, two consecutive days off in a row, complete with Sunshine and temperatures that were warm and cozy. It felt like someone had snuck me off to Florida in my sleep, a place that I have heard from my friends that is warm and where nice horses go to show off. I wasn't about to show off for anybody though, I was enjoying R&R the way cool kids do, stuffing my face with tasty hay, begging for grain (NOT treats, I don't get them. I swear they are POISON and these two legged things are trying to kill me with whatever that stuff is), and being turned out with my best pal, Ryker.
Today was day three (I think) of not having anything to do, or so I thought. It was still early in the day, and I saw my two-legged person come walking from behind the barn, hopefully NOT to come get me. BOY, was I WRONG!! She took me away from my pal and what I thought was a good vacation. My first thought was, "I'll show her!"
Normally I stand still and just right while she tacks me. Today, I decided I might try and run back to my paddock and find RyRy. I waited until she turned away and swift as ever, I started to sneak away....only to be caught and then I continued to be tacked up. Rats...
I let her think that today was going to be a normal day, I walked out, stood by the mounting block and waited for Kait to arrange herself in the tack. I picked up a walk and allowed for her to ask me to stretch. Boy, do I love to stretch, it feels good so kept up with it. BUT THEN, Kait thought it would be a good idea to take up the reins, As I mentioned earlier, I wasn't in the mood to work, so I didn't take kindly to this shorter rein....
"oh man, I have to lift my back and do WHAT?" I said..."you can do it Poge's...good boooooy" she said to me. I really didn't appreciate that tighter outside rein and inside leg pressure, what the heck is she asking me to do? Bend into a pretzel? I'm not Gumby over here...do I look GREEN to you?! (NO PUN INTENDED GUYS, DONT LAUGH AT ME!) I don't get WHY she insists on asking me to move my shoulders in every so often, whats so wrong with just doing what I want to do?
Oh boy now we got to trot, and, honestly, I wasn't feeling it. These stupid white things were on the ground and she makes me go over them and step OVER them. I hate that, sometimes I really just don't want to step over things, what is so wrong with my regular trot step? Why do I have to drop my head and work SO HARD?! And I thought life on the track was hard. At least galloping was fun, this stuff is SO BORING...Galloping on the track, hmmm I miss that....
::cue the light-bulb moment:: WAIT A MINUTE!! This four walled place is ROUND like the track, why can't I just PRETEND I'm on the track? There's a big stakes race at Aqueduct tomorrow, I've heard my two-legged person talk about it, a horse she knows is in it...Well, why don't I give her a taste of what it's like?
::cue Kait's canter depart:: AAAND WE'RE OFF! And it's Pogo in the lead (for the second time ever in his life) until wait, wait, wait, what is happening? Why is she stopping this? We have already been through this, I DON'T WANT TO WORK HARD TODAY!! RUNNING IS SO MUCH FUN!
::cue the temper tantrum:: small circles are NO FUN!! Why on earth does she insist on sitting on me and MAKING me work? What is this, I am a big bad race horse, we are not supposed to be sat down on and not supposed to go slow!" what is this?! I tried every trick in the book to try and get out of this WORK. I tried dropping my shoulders in, falling out, opening my mouth, putting my head up and putting my head down...Whatever she wanted I just did something else. I just didn't get why she wouldn't quit and leave me alone. Why is this girl so persistent?
Finally, I decided that this was getting stupid. Not that it hasn't been stupid this entire time, but I was getting tired and was so sweaty. I just didn't want to work and this girl wasn't quitting. She wasn't going to stop until I gave her what she wanted. I don't know when my opinions started to carry less weight, but I am not a fan of this new situation. But, regardless I start to think, maybe if I just do as she asks, my job will just be done, and then I really won't have to work so hard after all....Voila! Give a little head down, stretch through my back, give sweet canter departs and in less than five minutes I was done.
Boy, I wish I realized that sooner. Note to self: life is easier when I just do as I am told....maybe...
ps. Sorry Kristen fearless leader for the spelling and grammatical errors. I am only three, just going on four, give the baby a break! Kait sure doesn't!! haha :)
It was a great day, two consecutive days off in a row, complete with Sunshine and temperatures that were warm and cozy. It felt like someone had snuck me off to Florida in my sleep, a place that I have heard from my friends that is warm and where nice horses go to show off. I wasn't about to show off for anybody though, I was enjoying R&R the way cool kids do, stuffing my face with tasty hay, begging for grain (NOT treats, I don't get them. I swear they are POISON and these two legged things are trying to kill me with whatever that stuff is), and being turned out with my best pal, Ryker.
Today was day three (I think) of not having anything to do, or so I thought. It was still early in the day, and I saw my two-legged person come walking from behind the barn, hopefully NOT to come get me. BOY, was I WRONG!! She took me away from my pal and what I thought was a good vacation. My first thought was, "I'll show her!"
Normally I stand still and just right while she tacks me. Today, I decided I might try and run back to my paddock and find RyRy. I waited until she turned away and swift as ever, I started to sneak away....only to be caught and then I continued to be tacked up. Rats...
I let her think that today was going to be a normal day, I walked out, stood by the mounting block and waited for Kait to arrange herself in the tack. I picked up a walk and allowed for her to ask me to stretch. Boy, do I love to stretch, it feels good so kept up with it. BUT THEN, Kait thought it would be a good idea to take up the reins, As I mentioned earlier, I wasn't in the mood to work, so I didn't take kindly to this shorter rein....
"oh man, I have to lift my back and do WHAT?" I said..."you can do it Poge's...good boooooy" she said to me. I really didn't appreciate that tighter outside rein and inside leg pressure, what the heck is she asking me to do? Bend into a pretzel? I'm not Gumby over here...do I look GREEN to you?! (NO PUN INTENDED GUYS, DONT LAUGH AT ME!) I don't get WHY she insists on asking me to move my shoulders in every so often, whats so wrong with just doing what I want to do?
Oh boy now we got to trot, and, honestly, I wasn't feeling it. These stupid white things were on the ground and she makes me go over them and step OVER them. I hate that, sometimes I really just don't want to step over things, what is so wrong with my regular trot step? Why do I have to drop my head and work SO HARD?! And I thought life on the track was hard. At least galloping was fun, this stuff is SO BORING...Galloping on the track, hmmm I miss that....
::cue the light-bulb moment:: WAIT A MINUTE!! This four walled place is ROUND like the track, why can't I just PRETEND I'm on the track? There's a big stakes race at Aqueduct tomorrow, I've heard my two-legged person talk about it, a horse she knows is in it...Well, why don't I give her a taste of what it's like?
::cue Kait's canter depart:: AAAND WE'RE OFF! And it's Pogo in the lead (for the second time ever in his life) until wait, wait, wait, what is happening? Why is she stopping this? We have already been through this, I DON'T WANT TO WORK HARD TODAY!! RUNNING IS SO MUCH FUN!
::cue the temper tantrum:: small circles are NO FUN!! Why on earth does she insist on sitting on me and MAKING me work? What is this, I am a big bad race horse, we are not supposed to be sat down on and not supposed to go slow!" what is this?! I tried every trick in the book to try and get out of this WORK. I tried dropping my shoulders in, falling out, opening my mouth, putting my head up and putting my head down...Whatever she wanted I just did something else. I just didn't get why she wouldn't quit and leave me alone. Why is this girl so persistent?
Finally, I decided that this was getting stupid. Not that it hasn't been stupid this entire time, but I was getting tired and was so sweaty. I just didn't want to work and this girl wasn't quitting. She wasn't going to stop until I gave her what she wanted. I don't know when my opinions started to carry less weight, but I am not a fan of this new situation. But, regardless I start to think, maybe if I just do as she asks, my job will just be done, and then I really won't have to work so hard after all....Voila! Give a little head down, stretch through my back, give sweet canter departs and in less than five minutes I was done.
Boy, I wish I realized that sooner. Note to self: life is easier when I just do as I am told....maybe...
ps. Sorry Kristen fearless leader for the spelling and grammatical errors. I am only three, just going on four, give the baby a break! Kait sure doesn't!! haha :)
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